Elena Mokshina (PCI) in Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in Liverpool

I visited the Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in Liverpool, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, between 05.02.2013 and 05.04.2013 as a part of several Work Packages: WP 1 “Gathering the existing experimental data on nanoparticles”, WP 3: “Development of novel structural descriptors for nanoparticles”, WP 4: “Development of new NanoQSAR methodologies”.

The possibility to participate in cutting-edge science is always important to young scientist, and the field of nano-material science has indeed “plenty rooms in the bottom”. Our main aims were to collect data on toxicity of nanoparticles, define factors that influence the aquatic toxicity of nanoparticles and develop nano-QSAR models able to describe nanotoxicity. Massive of data for aquatic toxicity to Dapnia magna and Paramecium multimicronucleatum was collected. The novel physical descriptors for metal oxide nanoparticles were developed on the basis of surface-area-difference model (SAD). SAD descriptors give one opportunity to estimate particle’s cohesive energy. Finally, as conclusive result of the work series of QSAR were build using modern state-of-art statistical techniques.

One of the most important things about science is possibility to travel and exchange experience, possibility to learn something new and to compare different approaches. One writer once said that travelling is the most important part of our lives because person becomes different in the new place and it is one of the best ways to know oneself. In this sense, NanoBridges is unique project as it gives possibility to travel and meet new people.

My visit to Liverpool was one of the most interesting and important experiences in my not very long academic career. Laboratory of QSAR and Molecular Modelling in LJMU happened to be the great place to work, and I greatly acknowledge Professor Cronin and his colleague for the great time I had working with them!